Air Fried Pork Dumplings (Printable Version)

Golden pork dumplings air fried until crispy, served with a spicy and vibrant chili oil dipping sauce.

# Ingredient List:

→ Filling

01 - 9 oz ground pork
02 - 2 spring onions, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
05 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
06 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
07 - 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
08 - 1 teaspoon sugar
09 - 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
10 - 1/2 cup napa cabbage, finely shredded
11 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch

→ Dumplings

12 - 24 round dumpling wrappers (gyoza or wonton wrappers)
13 - Water for sealing
14 - Cooking spray or vegetable oil

→ Chili Oil

15 - 4 tablespoons chili oil
16 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
17 - 1 teaspoon black vinegar or rice vinegar
18 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
19 - 1 teaspoon finely chopped spring onion

# Directions:

01 - In a mixing bowl, combine all filling ingredients and mix until well combined and slightly sticky.
02 - Place a dumpling wrapper in your palm and spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of filling into the center. Dip your finger in water and moisten the edge of the wrapper. Fold in half and pinch edges to seal, pleating if desired.
03 - Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Cover completed dumplings with a damp cloth to prevent drying.
04 - Preheat air fryer to 375°F for 3 minutes.
05 - Lightly spray or brush dumplings with oil. Arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
06 - Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and crispy.
07 - While dumplings cook, mix all chili oil ingredients in a small bowl for dipping.
08 - Serve the hot dumplings with chili oil on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The air fryer does the heavy lifting, delivering impossibly crispy exteriors without the mess of oil splattering everywhere.
  • That chili oil is genuinely dangerous in the best way—you'll find yourself dipping, then dipping again, then licking the bowl.
  • These freeze beautifully, so you can have restaurant-quality dumplings ready to go on a random Tuesday night.
02 -
  • If your filling is too wet, the dumplings will burst open during cooking and leak filling everywhere; the cornstarch prevents this by absorbing excess moisture from the cabbage.
  • Turning the basket halfway through is non-negotiable if you want even browning—air fryers have hot spots and cool spots, and rotation fixes that.
03 -
  • If your chili oil tastes flat, you probably need more black vinegar—it's the acid that wakes everything up and prevents the sauce from feeling oily on your tongue.
  • Toasting your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for 30 seconds transforms them from forgettable to genuinely aromatic, and the effort is minimal but the impact is real.
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